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Span dropped to seventh spot in Nats' order

Span dropped to seventh spot in Nats' order

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Span's two-run double 0:52

7/5/13: Denard Span smokes a two-run double into the right-field corner, extending the Nationals' lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the second

By Bill Ladson
/
MLB.com |

MIAMI -- After the Nationals lost to the Marlins, 2-1, on Saturday night, manager Davey Johnson vowed he would make changes to his lineup for Sunday's game. He did just that, making outfielder Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon his top two hitters, while dropping outfielder Denard Span from the leadoff spot to the seventh spot in the lineup.

Johnson clearly wants better on-base percentage guys to set the table for run producers such as Ryan Zimmerman, Adam LaRoche and Jayson Werth.

Span, who has been the leadoff hitter for most of the year, has struggled -- hitting .255 with a .313 on-base percentage entering Sunday's action.

"I haven't been getting the job done. Nothing is going to change for me, as far as my approach or anything like that," Span said. "I think I have walked a little bit more lately. I'm not too comfortable at the plate. Whenever you don't feel comfortable at the plate, you are going to swing at pitches that you don't normally swing at. I've been [more] aggressive than I normally would, because I'm trying to make something happen. Just all and all, I haven't felt the way I need to feel pretty much all season."

Span went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI doubles and keyed the the Nationals' 10th-inning rally in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Marlins.